


Summer Days

by anachromatism, balls



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Brief Nudity for a Skinny Dipping Scene, Camping, Established Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Injury, M/M, Mild Blood, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pining, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Sexual Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27682289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anachromatism/pseuds/anachromatism, https://archiveofourown.org/users/balls/pseuds/balls
Summary: LOSERS HATE HIM.He seduces two hot men in one evening after a TRIP through the woods.Or, the one where Tanaka and Ennoshita are in a committed relationship with each other and fall heads over heels for their best friend.
Relationships: Ennoshita Chikara/Nishinoya Yuu/Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Ennoshita Chikara/Tanaka Ryuunosuke
Kudos: 21
Collections: HQ Polyam Bang





	Summer Days

"Tora-Tora!" Tanaka called out, waving his arms around to get Taketora’s attention. It was amazing really, that he hadn't seen his former rival/friend in so long. Of all the ways to meet back up, he never would have thought it would be by the way of a used car ad, either.

"Tanakaaaa-san!" Taketora hollered back at him. Ennoshita raised a brow at their antics, the two men bumping chests mere feet away from him.

He could only really watch as the two locked each other into a bear hug, squinting as he wondered if they were having some sort of private, machismo contest. After a moment, he slapped his boyfriend's back. Tanaka jumped back to his side and looked a bit embarrassed as he gestured over to the car. 

"Have ya had anyone else come?"

"Nope, just you two." And it was hardly a surprise, as the car could use a bit of work. "So are you…?" Taketora looked between the two of them, waggled his brows, bared a huge grin and gave Tanaka a playful punch. 

"Yep!"

"Woah, really? Well, I won't judge. More girls for me!" The former Nekoma student laughed, thumb pressing back towards his own chest.

"Yeah, if you could get any to begin with," Ennoshita finally chimed in, drawling. He'd been quietly observing the two behind his boyfriend for the most part, put off by all the yelling. That said, he had his moments, showing off that authoritative tone he'd built up from his year as the captain of a bunch of unruly high school boys.

"Eh, he's gotten cheeky! You two suit each other." Taketora shook his head, pouting slightly as he fished through his pocket for the car keys. He handed them over to Tanaka as the other man forked out some notes. "Take a look inside before you head off. If there are any issues, I’d prefer to know about 'em early."

The first thing that Tanaka noticed when he ducked into the car was that it was slightly worse for wear. The fake leather seats were torn in a few places, although fortunately most of the tears were relatively out of view. The ceiling cover was drooping at the centre, with a staple trying to hold it in place. It was actually kind of charming, because there didn't seem to be any real functional damage. Still, he started the engine just to make sure the car was in working condition. The satisfying hum of it coming to life was all the assurance he needed, and he gave Taketora a thumbs up through the window before turning the engine back off and handing the key over to Ennoshita. 

"Hey, do you two want to come in for tea?" Taketora called out.

This time, Ennoshita was the one who was embarrassed. In his excitement, he’d already slid into the driver's seat and was about to turn the key.

"Sorry, of course!" He pocketed the key and got out, patting Tanaka on the hip as he walked back over to Taketora. He would have felt a little rude if they had left without a proper hello after all this time. 

They had some time to spare, anyways. Nishinoya probably hadn't even begun packing yet.

\---

Now back at Ennoshita’s apartment, the two busily prepared for their trip. Tanaka’s room was much less tidy than Ennoshita’s, so it wasn’t surprising he took longer to find his things.

"Hey, have you gone through the list?" Ennoshita called out from the other room. It was funny that years later, Tanaka still reflexively stopped whatever he was doing whenever his former captain spoke.

"'Course," Tanaka replied even though he hadn't even looked at the list yet, pulling it out of his pocket and un-scrunching it for the first time. The ink had smudged a little, but he could make out most of the words. 

Deodorant, dry shampoo? Were those even things they had? Toothbrushes, toothpaste, water... He decided to just call out for assistance. 

Working together with Ennoshita, they eventually gathered most of the necessities for their camping trip, save for a few items they'd pick up along the way. 

He had to say, water took up a lot more space in their car than he would have thought. With their most basic supplies packed, there was barely any space left for luxuries like games or books. Still, with good company he wouldn't exactly be bored. 

"Hey, Chikara." Tanaka held up a familiar bottle, wagging it in front of him with raised brows and a smirk. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" 

"No. Did you forget about Nishinoya?" 

"Oh right, we should pack extra." Tanaka cackled, slipping the bottle in his pocket. 

"You are a nightmare sometimes." Ennoshita slapped his own face, dragging his palms down his rosy cheeks.

"Pack a carton of beer--it's much more family friendly. Think about all the poor forest animals," Ennoshita blabbered out without putting much thought into what he was saying, before shaking his head and turning to collect his things.

Tanaka just snickered again and headed off for the fridge, stuffing a 6-pack in between some towels. 

"Ready when you are, slowpoke."

\---

Ennoshita pulled up outside the small residence, having to really push his foot on the brakes to get their car to stop. The light rain wasn’t really much cause for concern; he had already checked the weather forecast before they set off. Good to know for later though, even if Tanaka was jerked forward suddenly by the move.

He received a grumpy look from his boyfriend, but just smirked back at him and bopped him on the nose.

"Glad you wore your seatbelt?"

"I always do!" Tanaka clicked his tongue at him, tipping his head back into his seat, cheeks flushing.

Ennoshita just smirked in response.

"Hey, chin up. Or did you want Noya to know who wore the pants in this relationship?"

"Gah--You--" Tanaka glowered at him as he sat up, only to be interrupted by a thumping sound as Nishinoya jumped onto the hood of their car.

"This is a new car, you know!" Ennoshita yelled out in annoyance. It was too early in the day for this nonsense.

"No, it's not!" Nishinoya slid into the back a moment later. Ennoshita gritted his teeth when he saw Nishinoya take the centre seat. Oh yes, he knew what that meant. His eyes very pointedly drifted down to Nishinoya's waist, squinting to make sure that the safety belt was damn well on. It was, thankfully, but it was hardly stopping Nishinoya from poking at the loose piece of fake leather on the back of the driver seat.

\---

Being in a car with these two was interesting, to say the least. With Tanaka riding shotgun and Nishinoya spending more time trying to lean through the centre console than actually sitting, Ennoshita had to use all his wits to drive straight. It was a gradual ascension, gentle turns threaded between hills and mountains, with fields leading down into a valley. The countryside truly was beautiful.

"So where are we going?" Tanaka hadn't read the list from earlier until he had been prompted to, so it was unsurprising he hadn't read the itinerary either. 

"Glovebox." Ennoshita grinned without taking his eyes off the road. 

"What?"

"Open it." Ennoshita already knew what was coming.

Tanaka pulled the handle and the compartment popped open. He barely managed to catch the folded sheet of paper when it dropped out. 

"Aww come on! When did you even stuff it in there--I've been sitting here the whole time!" Tanaka’s complaints could barely be heard over the sound of Ennoshita’s laughter. 

Served him right for choosing to go to the bathroom at the very last minute. 

Nishinoya just looked between the two of them before cackling, not entirely sure of what he'd missed, but putting the pieces together quickly. He ruffled Ennoshita's hair, the perfectly parted mop splitting as the driver did his best to dodge the fingers while keeping his eyes on the road.

"THIS guy." Nishinoya jabbed at him as Tanaka sat back down. "Plans EVERYTHING!" The way he said it made them think Nishinoya was expecting the bear grylls challenge instead of just a casual camping trip. 

"What, you wanted the full wilderness survival experience?" Ennoshita looked at him through the rearview mirror. "I could just drop you off here." 

"Lite mode, nothing more!" Nishinoya chirped. 

Tanaka just shrugged. "I like my creature comforts, like not starving." He was thrilled by the idea of camping, but couldn't even imagine going unprepared. Speaking of which, that itinerary. Tanaka's eyes scanned the page, glancing up at his smirking boyfriend every now and then.

Tanaka let out a small noise of appreciation when he got to the map. "You can find places like that this close?" Ennoshita was diligent, but hell, even Tanaka could tell a lot of time went into planning this. Tanaka himself would have been happy to just pick any old spot and prop up a tent and some food and call it a day. 

"Let's see..." He heard something behind him and held the list out to the side, so Nishinoya could read it too.

"S'only 3 days?" Despite his words, Nishinoya didn’t sound too disappointed. He blinked, mulling something over in his head. "Sounds great!"

Ennoshita smiled as he listened, the smile gradually dropping as he started to envision the exact way this would unfold. Knowing these two, that schedule would be as good as useless after the first hour. Oh well. He bounced back to his chipper mood after a moment, gesturing out the window.

"It's so nice out here. For someone living in the countryside I never really... went out into the countryside." He chuckled. "We should do this more often."

"You're tellin' me!" Tanaka laughed. Man, even living in a small town took its toll. Felt like he was seeing nature again for the first time.

Nishinoya was quiet, biding his time. He'd spring his little surprise at the most opportune time. Well, it wasn’t that much of a surprise, so he'd have to ham it up a bit. The other two didn't see much of him these days, and that was part of the reason this whole thing had been organised in the first place. He grinned innocently when Ennoshita narrowed his gaze at him through the rear view mirror menacingly.

The scenery gradually shifted as they drove on. Gentle hills gave way to sharp crags and grey mountains. Fields and valleys turned into rivers and dense woodlands. Even the types of trees changed right before their eyes. Driver and passenger alike were fixated on the beauty of nature. 

The car followed a gradually narrowing road, paved lanes merging into a single lane, smooth roads giving way to dirt paths. A little further and the sun was blotted out by thick coverage, striking rays piercing through the leaves to light up their path. They eventually found their way into a clearing, and Ennoshita pulled up near the dead centre, slightly paranoid a branch would fall onto the car before he could get it insured. He grabbed the list and flipped to the map so that he could compare their location to the photo. This was definitely the place.

He ushered everyone out and sized everything up. Enough space for everything, with room to spare. Should be private too, away from the main campers. But the best had yet to come. He took his boyfriend's hand and held the other one out for Nishinoya, who clucked his tongue at him instead of taking the hand offered.

The trio walked towards the treeline, and followed it downhill until they came upon a trail. There were markers going three ways, carved of old wood with some moss growing on it. The lack of maintenance was strangely endearing to Ennoshita, and he liked that they had found such a quiet spot, one that was less known among hikers and campers alike. The sentiment was clearly shared by a gawking Nishinoya and Tanaka, something Ennoshita noticed when he had to literally tug the other two away from the signpost. 

"Come on, it's close." Ennoshita was giddy with excitement, leading them down the path until the trees opened up again.

They arrived atop a rocky outcrop, a slightly treacherous but well positioned cliff. He'd be damned if he let the other two out here after a few drinks, but while sober, it was gorgeous. 

"Seriously man, this is too much. How did you find this?" Tanaka blinked at him, eyes soaking in the view, taking care not to fall.

"Google Maps--hey!" Ennoshita grabbed Nishinoya by the collar of his shirt, as the shorter man made a beeline for the edge of the cliff. 

Predictably, the shirt yanked right up over his head and Nishinoya cheerfully sat on the edge, much to Ennoshita’s alarm. Ennoshita carefully trotted closer to get a better look, only to realize that the cliff led to a short, two-meter drop down to a huge expanse of dirt. Well, that could have been less embarrassing. 

Tanaka laughed and slapped him on the back gently, as Ennoshita waffled a bit. The former captain took a moment to compose himself before joining the two.

"Relax a little." His boyfriend rubbed at his shoulder.

Ennoshita smiled and took in the view. A gradual hike down to the valley floor. From the treeline, it looked a lot more dramatic. They were still pretty high up, all things considered. There was a river in the distance, probably a half-hour walk away. The sheer scale of the valley below was impressive, it looked almost as if it was worlds beneath them. Feeling a bit cocky now that there was no reason to fear for their lives, he brought Tanaka and Nishinoya’s attention to their right. It was a bit obscured by the trees, but there was a waterfall that could have easily been missed, had Ennoshita not included it in their itinerary.

"That's day two." Ennoshita chuckled, bringing them close enough that their heads were nestled in the crook of his shoulders. Nishinoya and Tanaka gave each other a look and then laughed.

"Jeez, look who's still captain." His boyfriend teased him as Nishinoya jabbed him playfully in the side.

"Sorry, got excited." Ennoshita smiled and looked out at the horizon again. 

With the sun where it was, they should have been facing west right now, with about three hours of sunlight left. It would be good to get some exploring in, as long as they didn't go too far. Should be plenty of time to pitch the tent and make dinner later.

Ennoshita had to think about it a little, knowing that any time he didn't spend reigning Nishinoya in was time for him to wander off. If they did go down to the river right now, they could be back before dark and use the car's headlights as a last resort to pitch the tent.

When he turned around, Nishinoya had disappeared with his boyfriend anyway.

"Noya!" Ennoshita called out, getting an answer from down in the trees a moment later. He frowned and checked his pockets. Phone, wallet, empty packet of beef jerky, keys. He shrugged and headed down towards the voice. As the clearing disappeared from sight, he had an idea. Tearing off a strip from the packet, he tied a plastic ribbon on a branch of the tree, bright red and hard to miss. 

Maybe he was being a bit cautious, but he'd rather not call search and rescue on their first night there.

Before long, he had caught up to them and had to suppress the urge to chew them out when he saw what they were doing. He blinked. A beautiful, bright red fox was up ahead, just within sight. The creature was stunning, and absolutely didn't belong in the woods, so it stood out like a sore thumb. The coat was so perfectly clean that it made him wonder if it had escaped from a zoo. The creature turned to look at them, making a high-pitched whining sound before running off.

Nishinoya turned and gave Ennoshita a 'nice one, idiot' type of look as the former captain chuckled.

"Sorry, that was really something. Are we further out than I thought?"

"No, it probably came down from the mountains. Why'd ya have to go and scare it off, though!" Nishinoya gave Ennoshita a gentle punch to the chest as he wasn't looking.

"Hhh--" Ennoshita had forgotten how physical his banter could get.

They continued on, and Ennoshita carefully checked the time whenever the other two weren't looking. His nerves didn't bother him as much now, and he was honestly having a great time.

Nishinoya, still unsure if the other two knew he was an expert hiker, happily led the trio. He was at least a few feet ahead at all times, moving so fast the other two--notably taller men--actually had to walk faster to keep pace.

It was obvious they were heading downhill, though neither Ennoshita nor Tanaka had actually thought to ask Nishinoya where he was leading them. The captain tied off the last of his makeshift ribbons to a tree and then smiled, satisfied they’d be able to find their way back. He took a screenshot of their GPS location on his phone, then pocketed it.

The foliage around them changed as they walked, trees growing smaller and underbrush and shrubs turning to ferns and moss. Ennoshita pieced together where they were going now. The sound of rushing water gradually increased, until the slope to their side opened up to a river inlet. The widest part of the river was still further down. Their spot was wide but shallow, slow flowing with a build-up of rocks at one end.

It seemed Nishinoya was exactly where he had wanted to be, because he was already throwing off his shirt and stepping out of his shorts when Ennoshita called out.

"Idiot, what are y--" Nishinoya jumped in before Ennoshita could finish. The water looked calm, but Ennoshita was relieved his boyfriend had more sense.

Or not. Tanaka had already begun stripping, leaving Ennoshita dumbstruck. Nishinoya was presumably not entirely naked, so Ennoshita breathed a sigh of relief. After a moment, he carefully slipped out of his own shirt.

Then he spotted Nishinoya’s underwear lying on a ledge, along with Tanaka's. He just stood there, staring down at them, still in his own pants.

"Isn't it cold?" Ennoshita shot them a quizzical glance, just as Nishinoya dunked Tanaka’s head under the water. 

Tanaka came back up for air, made a small fuss and splashed him in return. When Nishinoya had finally secured enough distance between them to avoid being dunked himself, he grinned and taunted back.

"Nope. It's fine. Come skinny-dipping, you coward!" He cackled at this. Ennoshita had no idea he could be so loud.

He felt a little awkward and self conscious stripping with the two of them watching. They could have at least looked away, but Nishinoya pointedly wolf-whistled when Ennoshita finally stepped out of his trousers. The former captain's cheeks flushed red and Tanaka laughed.

"Don't worry, Chika-san, you look good!" Tanaka had always been supportive of him, even when his slim figure took on a more rounded shape after high school. The former captain was in excellent shape now, but he wasn't used to being naked out in the open.

"Yeah, he does." Nishinoya teased, earning another splash from Tanaka and a playful glare, which quickly turned into a chuckle. 

With how well Nishinoya and Tanaka got along, Ennoshita wondered why they had never dated. He waited until he was right next to the river bank before he finally stepped out of his boxers. The other two were fortunately distracted by each other, which made him feel slightly less exposed. He stepped into the water and waded over to them. It was shallow, and thankfully, the bottom was sandy, not slippery.

"What am I going to do with you two?" He sighed, smiling as they splashed him with water. "Oh come on!" He didn't think he’d have needed to bring a towel.

"I know what I'm going to do with you." Tanaka tickled him underwater, going for his sides. Ennoshita erupted with laughter, trying to get away. Tanaka then pulled him in for a kiss, only to hear some loud booing from their third party.

"Aww, is someone jealous? You want one?" Ennoshita teased Nishinoya, payback for so many other things in just one short day.

"Kinda do, yeah." Nishinoya deadpanned in return, cracking a smile after a moment. Ennoshita's cheeks turned even redder before he was able to laugh it off.

Something about Nishinoya prevented Ennoshita from ever feeling mad or awkward around him. He had always been flirty and bold, yet it had never once come off as anything other than charming or endearing.

"I would have been fine with that, if it's with Noya-san," Tanaka laughed, earning an exaggeratingly annoyed glance from his boyfriend.

"Don't enable him," Ennoshita scolded him, turning to see Nishinoya puckering up his lips. For a moment, Ennoshita almost thought he was serious, so he was a bit thrown off when Nishinoya turned around and giggled. Man, these two...

With his heart rate significantly worked up, he headed back to the shore. Once out, he gently patted himself dry with his shirt as he waited for the other two. It wasn’t the most absorbent cloth, but he managed to dry himself enough to get dressed again. Unsurprisingly, the other two just patted down their lower halves and stepped into their shorts, opting to carry their shirts instead. That was the intuitive thing to do, but Ennoshita just wasn't like that. Still, these kind of differences were what made the three of them such a great combination.

He smirked and squeezed some more mileage out of his earlier quip. "What am I going to do with you two?"

\---

The sun set slowly. The sky turned a warm hue, transformed slowly to pink before fading into darkness. Night came much faster than dusk though, replacing the dying light in the span of minutes. With their golden friend gone, Ennoshita finally relied on those red tags he'd left on the trees earlier. Though it took them quite some time to find them, they were able to follow the trail back to camp.

As they came upon the campsite, Ennoshita stayed low in order to make his way through the dark. Unbothered, Nishinoya strode right past him. His confidence was as impressive as it was perhaps foolish. Still, if he could see the way without any light to guide him, Ennoshita had no problem following closely behind.

Before long, they found themselves back at the clearing. Not bad, Ennoshita thought. Things were certainly going well, and that helped to calm his nerves.

Given the lack of light, it was a great time to spring his earlier plan into action. He fished around for his keys and gently pushed it into the ignition. He toggled between the high and low beam settings before he settled on low, not wanting to blind himself later.

"Nice goin', Chika." Tanaka slapped Ennoshita on the shoulder, startling him. He quickly relaxed with Tanaka’s firm hand on his shirt though, slumping a little as he breathed out.

"We've got enough light to pitch the tent if you guys want," Ennoshita chirped, surprised that his backup plan actually came to use. 

"Nope. Crashing in the car is cool by me."

Or half his plan, anyway.

Nishinoya jumped into the backseat, stretching out before being joined by Tanaka, who crawled in from the other side a moment later. Ennoshita thought about it for a moment, then turned the car back off and climbed through the centre to take his place in between the two, huddling in.

"It'll be warm enough in here without the heater, so I don't want to kill the battery." His statement went uncontested, the other two just shrugging. Ennoshita threw an arm around his boyfriend's shoulder, pulling him in a little until Tanaka’s fuzzy scalp was just brushing his neck. From his other side, he heard a little huff, so he turned to quirk a brow at Nishinoya, before tentatively slinging an arm around him too. They were buddies, after all.

They were just buddies.

But that didn't explain why he felt so warm, close, intimate and loving when pressed up against him. Why a peaceful Nishinoya resting against him felt so special and novel, something to be cherished. Ennoshita had to wonder, was Nishinoya this physical with everyone, or was there something more here?

"Stop thinking so loudly," Nishinoya grumbled against the crook of his neck, letting out a loud yawn. "Night, Chikara." Ennoshita wheezed, settling in. Was he psychic, too?

"Night, gorgeous," Tanaka cooed from his other side, planting a quick kiss to Ennoshita's cheek that earned him a gentle punch from the other man. Ennoshita blinked and closed his eyes again, finding it a little cheesy coming from his boyfriend. It was odd how when they came from anyone but Nishinoya, Ennoshita found such remarks a bit annoying. And as much as he loved the banter, he was damn tired. 

Sure enough, he heard a grumble and then everyone was finally quiet. Sleep came quickly after that, and he managed to stay knocked out until just before sunrise. His eyes opened as the first hint of light rose over the mountains. It was actually pretty wild, what a little bit of cardio did for the sleep.

\---

The first thing he noticed as he stirred awake, aside from the faint outlines of trees, was Nishinoya laying across their laps. He rolled his eyes and turned to kiss Tanaka's forehead, the other man stirring a little at the gentle touch. Like a chain reaction, Tanaka stirring made Ennoshita’s hips turn closer, a rising thigh knocking into Nishinoya just slightly.

This motion turned out to be more than enough to wake him up. The shorter man blinked open his eyes and locked contact with Ennoshita, bellowing out a laugh.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Don't yell right after waking up. You're so intense...."

"Ugh, what time is it?" Tanaka yawned as he stretched, seeming to do everything at once. When he rubbed his eyes it seemed much more like he was about to punch himself in the face, elbows still outstretched while his hands moved. He looked up and noticed both men gazing back at him. Ennoshita broke away first. Nishinoya took his time examining him, with the excuse of trying to figure out how he had ended up in their laps, before suddenly jerking upright.

There was a moment of awkwardness, everyone overly conscious of their positions, before Tanaka broke the tension. "Don't worry, he secretly likes using me as a pillow too." He punched Ennoshita playfully in the arm, the man rubbing his shoulder as he shook his head.

"You use ME as a pillow 95% of the time," Ennoshita corrected him, a smile spreading across his face. It was too early to play these games, but he couldn't leave his honour undefended.

"Because you pull me in." Tanaka wasn’t complaining though, his voice still sleepy.

"Oooh, so we know exactly who wears the pants--"

"It's not like that," Ennoshita quickly interjected, only to be spoken over by the very man he was trying to defend.

"Someone's gotta instigate stuff," Tanaka shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the implications. "Might as well be you, Chika-san."

Oh, to be that relaxed about things.

"Why so stiff?" Nishinoya's face was so close to his as he teased him. Ennoshita almost thought the man had snuck back into his lap with the sheer energy and presence he carried. Being in the cramped backseat wasn't helping with the already boiling atmosphere.

"Enough with the innuendos. My morning jog does plenty for my heart rate without this."

"Chika, want some time to wake up properly?" Tanaka rubbed his boyfriend's shoulders. He could always tell when he was anxious. "Noya-san, why don't we go get changed?" He moved his hand to pat the other man's back as he got up, ushering him out of the car so Ennoshita could have some space to breathe.

Ennoshita was sure he made the right choice in bringing Nishinoya along for this trip. Still, he didn't think he'd be left so confused. It was like the guy could sense Ennoshita’s interest in him--supernatural powers maybe? If Nishinoya wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, then all these strange emotions originated in himself, and that was not something Ennoshita wanted to think about.

Ignorance was bliss, after all. But he knew it wouldn't be the last time he thought about Nishinoya in that way.

With a freshly cleared mind, Ennoshita took the time to get dressed in the car. Cramped as it were, the little bit of privacy was nice.

A white shirt was no good, and he wasn't even sure why he had packed it. A grey shirt? Well, at least it wouldn't be as obvious if he got it dirty. Jeans, black. Lastly, a beige jacket to complete the look.

The other two were already changed and fussing over the tent when he joined them. Tanaka was wearing something very urban and punk--a bit impractical for camping, but it was hard to deny that he looked handsome in it.

Nishinoya, on the other hand, had on a white shirt and a pair of shorts that was some indescribable colour. It was practical, and that was about all Ennoshita could say about it. Then Nishinoya turned and Ennoshita rolled his eyes at “Medium Shirt” written on the back in a large font. It didn’t stop him from chuckling though.

He moved to help them set up the tent, holding up one of the poles as he gestured with a turn of the chin. Tanaka grabbed the other pole, and Nishinoya hooked the fabric over it. Amazing how quickly they got things done when they actually coordinated their efforts. Moments later, and they were back to bickering with each other, but indoors this time.

He had to admit, the aesthetic of the tent was nice, even if the car was much more comfortable.

"Hey, who wants breakfast?"

His words were met with quite a bit of enthusiasm. Ennoshita turned to look for the frying pan. He had a lighter, so they'd just gather some sticks and...who was he kidding. He put the pan away and handed out the Granola bars and bananas. Nishinoya shot him a slightly disappointed look, while Tanaka accepted his share happily. 

"We'll set up the campfire later, okay? I've got sausages." Ennoshita offered, taking a bite out of his granola bar. Yep, it was pretty dry. He scowled, already thinking of what to bring the next time.

The agenda for the day was pretty simple. They'd hike up the mountain to get to the waterfall, and from there, it was pretty open to interpretation.

He gathered them up, and with a gentle push, they set out. Nishinoya was the one to double back this time, stopping them before they'd even left the camp site. He returned promptly with the backpack of snacks and water, leaving the other two a little flustered at their own forgetfulness.

"Thank you, Noya." Ennoshita nodded, before offering to carry the backpack for him.

"Nope, I'm fine." Nishinoya marched on ahead, map still fresh in his mind. Tanaka offered his boyfriend a shrug and the two picked up the pace to catch up. How they'd done anything without Nishinoya now seemed a mystery--it wasn't that they couldn't, because they had. Nishinoya just completed the puzzle with his missing piece.

There were a few advantages to having Nishinoya march on ahead. Besides not needing the map, Ennoshita could side eye his boyfriend the entire time while chuckling.

"What?" Tanaka half-whispered to him, leaning in.

"No, it's nothing. It just doesn't feel like he's third wheeling, somehow."

"Oh you've SO got the hots." Tanaka slapped him on the back, making Ennoshita stumble forward before catching himself.

"Wha--hey, do you not?" It was so inappropriate, but dammit, it was Nishinoya. If Tanaka was also feeling his influence, then hell, at least they were in the same boat.

"I mean, if you do." Tanaka's face slowly developed a pink hue, and he rubbed his neck as he walked.

"That's...not an answer." Ennoshita smiled, tugging his boyfriend’s chin in for a quick kiss.

"No, it's not. But I'm glad we're just rolling with it," Tanaka chirped, sneaking in a kiss of his own on Ennoshita’s cheek, gazing ahead to make sure they had some privacy.

Well, that was something. If his mind wasn't clouded before, it certainly was now. Borderline admission of their shared crush aside, he could only really focus on the landmarks in front of them. He trusted Nishinoya, but hell, everything out here looked the same. Luckily, there were little path markings every now and then. Seeing a wooden post with "summit" and an arrow in the direction they were going evoked in him some form of relief. Nishinoya really was a natural navigator, almost like a mountain goat in that sense.

It was pretty strenuous trekking uphill like this. There were no stairs or the like, just the occasional chiselled stone and ripped up plants or compacted soil to indicate the path. This was the treatment one got off the beaten road and the national parks, but it provided a more authentic experience, or at least Ennoshita thought it did. 

Tanaka patted him on the back as he powered on ahead of him, making sure to stay within a few feet so that Ennoshita could ascend at his own pace. They were fit in different ways. Tanaka was a gym rat, but was much more into cardio than Ennoshita. Ennoshita, on the other hand, hit the heavy weights and compound exercises, but was practically allergic to running and cycling. He was starting to puff and sweat as they reached the top.

"You're so unfit!" The booming deep voice came from ahead and he looked up.

"You two are just on another level." He levelled a finger at Nishinoya, then pointed it at Tanaka, who threw his hands up and laughed. 

"Doesn't that backpack weigh yo--"

"Nope!" Nishinoya proudly claimed, then turned to nod towards the opening in the bushes ahead.

"Hey, look, just like the map!" Ennoshita followed Nishinoya's gesture. Sure enough, a rushing stream was just entering view.

It was even more picturesque than yesterday's river, this one much more choppy and shallow. They could hear, but not see the waterfall. It was probably a bit dangerous to go looking for it downstream. This area was truly untouched. No trash, footprints or anything. In fact, the actual trail ended with a single wooden bench at the top, which they'd already passed. Animal tracks, too. That wasn't something you saw super often if there was foot traffic. He led the two of them slowly down the bank towards the stream, looking down at the riverbed.

They could see fish every now and then racing up and down the river, congesting wherever it was deepest and easiest to turn. They were fast, and navigated the rocks and rushing currents easily. It would be almost mesmerizing, if there were just a few more.

Wanting to get a closer look, Tanaka stepped forward just once, carefully finding his balance. The rocks were mossy and slippery, especially the ones closest to the river. It was very picturesque though, what with all the beautiful and stark differences in colour.

"I think most of them are coming from up there?" He hummed and pointed further uphill. "Probably from a lake or something up there."

"That's right." Nishinoya slapped him on the back. "Good job!" 

Ennoshita narrowed his eyes and reached for the map, rolling them when he saw it was clearly marked. Nishinoya carefully pried it from his fingers and made a shushing gesture, winking.

"You're a natural, Tanaka-san! A real MVP!" He chirped, causing Tanaka to blush and cover his face with his hand.

"No no, I'm a real homebody these days." He instinctively reached for Ennoshita for his support.

"You've got a hell of a tan for a homebody." His boyfriend only added fuel to the fire, laughing at his furious blush. "Don't think you're escaping unscathed." Ennoshita then turned to Nishinoya next, grinning. "You've been nothing but amazing this whole time. Can't believe you didn't tell us you were so badass." Ennoshita laid it on thick--oh the power he held over these two!

Nishinoya was stunned, a brilliant red flushing across his face just a second later. He cackled and grinned to try and hide it, but Ennoshita could tell he was deeply affected, so much more than Tanaka had been.

"Oh you wanna kiss me SO badly," Nishinoya fired back, leaning in to challenge him. 

Ennoshita had nothing on him to counter that. He chickened out, taking a few steps back as the shorter man cheered and hollered in victory. Such a silly distraction. At least he was the only one without pink cheeks.

"Hey are you getting sunburned?" Tanaka blinked, tugging on Ennoshita's wrist. "Need sunscreen?"

So he had blushed after all? He quickly shook his head in response and the trio continued up the hill. It wasn't far before they found it, the small lake. Really more of a pond. One could walk around the whole thing in a matter of minutes, if he were to guess. It was filled to the brim with fish though, the whole area felt alive.

"Got a long stick?" Ennoshita turned to Nishinoya, who beamed at the idea.

It took some whittling away, as the little survival kit was truly a case of “you get what you paid for.” Satisfied with the...very rudimentary spear he’d created, he handed it to Nishinoya.

"Boo yeah, watch this!" He took the makeshift spear, spun around and charged at the pond.

It looked like he was going to attack it, only slowing down when he got close enough to spot the trout. They weren't very large, probably still young. A tricky aim for most, it was a cinch for Nishinoya. The other two could only watch in stunned disbelief as he speared a small fish on his first try, hitting it just off centre. Lowering the fish onto a rock, he was quick to dispatch it, killing it as humanely as he could.

Ennoshita, a bit squeamish, turned away for that part. Tanaka was the opposite, gawking at how cool his friend’s skills were.

"Betcha know how to gut that thing too, huh?"

"Yup!" Nishinoya replied cheerfully. Of course he knew.

"Wait, wait. Let's not mess with it too much." Ennoshita interrupted. "We have to either make a campfire up here, or carry it back. I don't know how long those last."

"About an hour." Nishinoya scratched at the back of his neck, thinking. "Such a nice day, shame to leave so soon."

"We could come back tomorrow?" Tanaka suggested, stepping back to pat Ennoshita on the shoulder, looking to him for his approval.

"Well the last day's schedule is basically blank." Not that they'd been following the schedule so far. He certainly didn't plan for them to catch a fish within fifteen minutes of arriving at their destination.

So it was decided. Ridiculously soon after arriving, they were already trekking back down the hill. It was certainly an experience to watch Nishinoya carry a fish down with him, but the image suited him. The fish could have been a little larger, Ennoshita thought wistfully, but it would probably still feed the three of them comfortably. 

Come to think of it, he really should have packed an ice bin or something, but it would have been no less awkward to carry one back. Kind of a shame they had to rush, because the trek back downhill provided even better views than before--or perhaps it was just that they were now looking out onto the horizon.

Having made it back to the campsite without any major drama occuring, the new top priority was to build that campfire. Ennoshita really wasn't prepared, so he could only help the other two carry rocks over into a circle, digging up the grass with a stick to make a makeshift pit for kindling. Sticks and bark were in great supply, so they took care of that part easily. Keeping the fire stoked would be more difficult, but they could deal with that later.

Now able to properly cut the fish up, Nishinoya made a huge mess with the pocket knife. It was really not the right tool to use. Still, the badly shaped fillets looked like something vaguely edible. If they had a little more structure, he'd be able to tell it was fish. It looked more like a sad potato salad, somehow. He was still working on the food when Tanaka began spinning a stick with a length of string, groaning when he couldn’t strike up enough heat to start a fire.

Ennoshita chuckled and crouched down to discreetly hand him a lighter.

"Noya-san, Chika-san, check it out. Mad skills!" Tanaka boasted with a laugh. Ennoshita's slightly sarcastic cough-laugh may have given them away. It was hard to tell when Nishinoya hollered just as much regardless.

To their credit, they did remember to bring a pan. That said, their leftover sausages were probably decomposing in their backpacks, uneaten. But hey, who could say no to fresh fish? It was healthier, too.

Without a spatula, frying their meal was a terribly awkward affair. It practically took three people to cook the fish. One to stoke the flames and add more bark, one to keep the pan over the fire, and one to poke the fish fillets around with a stick. They were mostly successful, in spite of the increasing damage the fillets were taking, and the gunk building up in the pan. A combination of fish and fish charcoal. Delicious.

It took them probably close to fifteen minutes, but Ennoshita eventually removed the pan from the flame, setting it down onto a rock to cool off. He had to admire their handiwork: with the juices coming out of the fish, their fillets resembled an omelette. Unique, that was what it was.

"It looks edible!" Tanaka grinned. Which was really the most generous thing to be said about their creation without outright lying. 

"Wait here--hang on." Ennoshita stepped away to raid the back of the car, coming back with bread, a butter knife, some condiments and a bag of greens. He was certain that crushed fish sandwiches with mayonnaise and supermarket salad wasn't really a thing, but they were about to invent it. Serving them up one by one, he gave Nishinoya the first sandwich since he'd caught the fish. In his nearly starved state, Nishinoya took it without much protestation.

"It's not bad!" He gave him a thumbs up. Ennoshita and Tanaka both knew to take Nishinoya’s judgment with a heavy grain of salt.

It was pretty bad.

"I've got some beers, and there's jerky and other things in the back," Ennoshita offered, bagging the pan so it wouldn't stink up the car. He hoisted the carton out, a little surprised that Tanaka had packed two of them. They were social drinkers, not alcoholics. Even with three people, two beers each was more than enough. Four was just ludicrous.

He grabbed one for the each of them, and moved to kneel in front of the fire, which gave off a fair bit of warmth even though the flames were already dying out. 

"Well, here’s to catching a fish!" Ennoshita toasted, clinking bottles with the other two, before fishing around for his keys. The convenient little bottle opener attached to them made short work of the caps. 

"Nothing like warm beer!" Tanaka took a hefty swig and wiped his mouth.

"Oh, shut up. There was no room for a cooler and you know it," Ennoshita jabbed at him.

Nishinoya was eager to drink anyways and chugged at least a third of his bottle in his first gulp. He earned not one, but two looks for that one. Before the other two were even halfway through with their own bottles, he was finished.

"My man's thirsty. Want another?" Tanaka set his bottle down, wandering off to grab the rest of the carton.

Nishinoya barely waited until he was out of earshot to lean in and whisper.

"So Chikara, you know I can overhear you two all the time, right?"

"What?" Ennoshita was startled. No, he didn't know that. "What do you mean?"

"Pfft, don't play dumb." Nishinoya poked his tongue out at him. "I don't know which one of you two has it worse for me. It's cute." He flicked the other man's nose, chuckling. "Can't blame ya though, you've both got such good taste!" He thrusted a thumb back towards himself, grinning. The gesture was as corny as it was endearing. "Point is, I--" He cut himself off as Tanaka came back over. 

"What did I miss?" Tanaka popped the top off the new bottle and handed it to Nishinoya. "Hey, Chika, sure you're not sunburned?"

\---

They were all three bottles in when Nishinoya had a great idea, exclaiming as he threw his hand up.

"Why don't we play truth or dare?" 

Enticing, thrilling, perhaps a little scary. They were all in. Not knowing what Nishinoya had planned, Tanaka opted to go first.

"Chika-san, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Coward. What's the most scared you've ever been?"

"Easy. First time you ever took me out on your motorbike."

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad," Tanaka pouted.

"Noya-san. Truth or dare."

"Dare!"

"Uhh... lick that rock." Wow, so lame.

It seemed like Nishinoya thought so too, because he shook his head as he moved to do it. He made direct eye contact with Ennoshita as he licked the rough surface.

"Absolutely amateur,” Nishinoya scoffed. “Both o' ya, truth or dare?" 

"Hey, you can't do that."

"Rules, schmules. Truth or dare."

"Dare." Ennoshita answered first, curiosity getting the better of him.

Nishinoya grinned, letting them wait a few seconds in suspense before popping the question.

"Kiss me."

"What, the both of us? That's so clever." Even Ennoshita was surprised that was what he chose to ask, looking to Tanaka for support.

Tanaka looked pensive for only a moment before he moved in, only to halt when he was a breath away from Nishinoya’s face. He turned back to Ennoshita, and his boyfriend offered a quick nod in response.

His heart raced as their lips finally brushed together. Tanaka pressed in awkwardly, with Nishinoya playing it cool. It wasn't a fast kiss. It was drawn out, slow. Nishinoya was much more experienced than he could have imagined. He wondered how long he'd been planning this, the bastard. He pulled away, eyes wide as Nishinoya’s lips glistened under the moonlight.

"Not bad! Your turn." Nishinoya tugged on Ennoshita's wrist, pulling the startled man in. He let him make the final move. Ennoshita kissed him cautiously before he pulled back gently, then changed his mind and went back in for more. Nishinoya was a little surprised, burying his hand in Ennoshita's hair as the kiss grew more heated. The former captain pulled back a moment later, catching his breath. 

"Damn." Tanaka laughed. "Couldn’t help yourself?" He slapped his boyfriend on the back, drawing a slight whine from him as he pulled away.

"Noya... I--"

"I like you. Both of you." Nishinoya finished for him, pushing Ennoshita back as best he could from his position. He climbed over him, planting a big smooch on the cheek before tugging a startled Tanaka down into the cuddle pile.

Ennoshita certainly hadn’t imagined his evening going like this. Two beautiful guys were on top of him, kissing his face. Wanting to savour the moment, he put his arms around them, holding them close. They settled in fast, using him as a pillow. Sad as it was, Ennoshita had to get them all back up after a minute or two.

"Come on, you two. Over to the tent, or we'll freeze." He gathered their gear, moving over to grab the three sleeping bags and a blanket for good measure. There was some protesting when he left, but it was quickly put to rest when he laid down their things. Having scoped out the size of the sleeping bags, he had an idea.

After unzipping two of the bags all the way, he laid them out flat. One was for them to lay on, and the other was to lay on top of them. He felt like he'd shepherded the two around enough all day, so he waited for them to get situated on their own. Throwing the blanket over them for good measure, he then weaseled his way under the covers, sliding between the two other men. It was remarkably warm, and thankfully so, because it was actually getting cold outside now.

"Goodnight babe," Tanaka yawned.

"Night," Nishinoya called back, chuckling to himself.

"Pfft." Ennoshita shook his head with a smile, closing his eyes. "Night babes."

\---

Tanaka was the first to wake up with a groan, the other two still out cold. He thought he could hear the sound of rain, and wondered if it had started falling while they were still asleep. Damn. He would have been down to sleep outside before, but now he was glad they hadn't. He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath to relax, only to jump from a loud thunder clap.

"Mmmm, what?" Ennoshita grumbled, having been knocked awake by his boyfriend. Nishinoya, for better or worse, mumbled something incomprehensible before going back to sleep. "Wait, wasn't it sunny yesterday?" He rubbed his eyes, waking up a little more. Another ominous rumble and he knew he wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep. 

"It was a little overcast before the sun went down." Tanaka hummed, stretching his limbs out before propping himself up with his elbows to look at the raindrop patterns on the side of the tent. The sound of the rain was kind of relaxing, but the jumpscares from mother nature were a bit obnoxious.

"Well if we're not sleeping, want to wake him up and tell spooky stories?" Ennoshita nodded his head in Nishinoya's direction with a smile. It felt a bit rude to wake him, but Ennoshita knew Nishinoya would complain if they left him out. Braving the blindingly bright phone screen, he read off the time. "Quarter to five, so the sun will rise in an hour anyway."

"Might as well." Tanaka rolled over Ennoshita to tickle Nishinoya. "Hya!"

Ennoshita choked back a laugh, covering his mouth as Nishinoya leapt into action. Latching onto Tanaka's shoulders, he wrestled him and rolled him over, knocking Ennoshita out of the way.

"What's the big idea?" Nishinoya grunted after being jolted awake, voice gravelly and breath racing. "You trying to give me a heart attack?" He huffed, before softening up and falling back onto the blanket, which was now a mess. 

"It was just too funny. Me and Chika were going to tell spooky stories, if you're interested in joining." Tanaka backed away so they'd all have space to sit.

"Don't got any coffee, do we?" Nishinoya stretched, yawning. When Ennoshita shook his head he just sighed theatrically and crossed his legs. "Alright. I'll go first! Once upon a--"

"Who starts a story like that?" Tanaka interrupted him. 

Nishinoya swatted at him with his hand and cleared his throat. "No no, hold on." To help with the atmosphere, Tanaka turned his phone light on and sat it between the three of them. With the blanket over it, it served as some good mood lighting. "Wait, wait." He shifted the blanket so the orange part of the design was directly over the light, making the ambience a little more campfire-esque. "There we go! Sorry, Noya."

"Ahem. Three young men were exploring an abandoned tower in the woods." He ignored the groans he evoked in response to his story, continuing, "It looked like something from a playground, but there was nothing else around the area. One of the men stood guard at the bottom of the tower while the other two went up. The ladder inside was super wobbly, and just as one of them got to the top and grabbed something, he stumbled back. He wasn't too badly hurt or anything, but he did sprain his ankle, or something. It was a tape, like one of those old cassettes."

"Oooo."

"They were heading back outside when they noticed their friend was missing. They called out, but nobody responded. It was completely quiet and getting dark. He was as good as gone."

As he said this, a thunder clap rattled them. All three of them almost jumped out of their skin, Nishinoya trying his best to recompose himself.

"A-Anyway. The other two were terrified, but had no choice but to look for him. Everything looked the same, but there was a symbol carved into a tree. It was like a circle with a cross through it!"

"Hey isn't this just slenderman?"

"No? Shut up. So he turns around and there's a guy in a mask. He sees them and runs off to the side, coming back from around a tree to chase them. They recognised him though--it was their friend, but an evil force was controlling him!"

"It's dollar store slenderman."

"Shush. They run as hard as they can, making it almost out of the woods when the handsome leader trips, his friend turning to try and save him. But that's when he locks eyes with something behind the masked man. He grips his head and falls to his knees, overcome by a migraine, until he passes out."

"So scary!" Tanaka gasped while Ennoshita side-eyed him. They had binge watched something similar before, but Tanaka didn’t seem to make the connection, so he must have secretly slept through most of it.

"They wake up the next day, banged up but alive. Their friend was still nowhere to be found. They never saw him again."

"Wow, spooky," Ennoshita laughed.

"I’d like to see you do better," Nishinoya pouted.

Another thunderclap, but they weren’t as startled this time. 

"Better save your battery, Ryu." Ennoshita picked up the phone and handed it to him. "So mine is a lot less scary. It's true though."

"Oooo." The other two hummed in unison.

"One night as I was locking up after work, I heard something from upstairs. The building has two floors. There's stairs up, then the door to my practice. Since I was heading out, I went up there to check it out. The stairs were clean, but as you got up, they started to get dusty. In the dust, there were boot prints. I stood in them, and sure enough, they were huge."

"You know what they say about big feet," Nishinoya interrupted, earning a punch to the gut.

"How on earth does your brain work?" He shook his head. "So I reach the top of the stairs. My fingers are grey with the dust from the handrail. Nobody has been up here in ages. But there's another creak, coming from behind the door. I go to turn the handle and it's locked. Since the lights were off inside, I got my phone and held it up. I took a photo but the flash was on. I damn near had a heart attack, too. For the brief moment it flashed, I saw a human figure just behind the glass. I got the hell out of there and locked myself in the bathroom, I was so scared."

"Wait, this was..? Bwahaha!" Tanaka laughed. Nishinoya groaned and punched his shoulder, too invested in the story already.

"So I called Ryu over, because he was online. I felt much safer. Actually, it's how we started dating." Ennoshita smiled.

"That ending was wholesome, but as a horror story, it sucked." Nishinoya laughed. "Wait, so what about the guy?"

"It turned out to be a mannequin. It was a clothing store." Tanaka shook his head and sighed.

"Jeez." Nishinoya shot Ennoshita a look. "Learn to lie a little, man. Embellish it."

Nishinoya and Ennoshita then turned their attention to Tanaka, as it was his turn to tell a story, but he just shrugged, turning to nod towards the tent flap.

"Looks like it’s almost sunrise. Want to go look?" He thought about the cliff from their first day; it was just about the perfect spot for it. 

"That's... so romantic," Nishinoya whistled. "Hey, I hope I get a scary get together story too, someday!" 

"Why, so you can be my knight in shining armour number two?"

"Yes." The way he said that without missing a beat actually made Ennoshita stifle a laugh. "Just gotta figure out what to save you from."

Well, hopefully that situation wouldn’t come to pass, Ennoshita thought.

The three of them made their way outside, stepping through the wet grass and carefully down the hill to the rocky platform. The rock was less slippery than the grass, so careful steps were enough to maintain their footing. Once at the edge, Ennoshita sat carefully between the two of them, looking up at the colours. The trees obscured the very edge of the horizon, but there were plenty of oranges and pinks low in the sky. A few minutes on, and the sun started to come into view.

Quiet and peaceful, this could not have been any further from Ennoshita's day to day in Miyagi. Actually, he felt almost like he was in a dream.

"Since it's so romantic," Nishinoya grinned, turning his gaze toward the two. "Wanna go out with me?"

"Smooth bastard." Tanaka deferred to Ennoshita. His boyfriend knew his position on the matter already; might as well let him give the final say. "Depends on what Chika thinks about it."

All eyes were now on him. He didn't feel as nervous as he normally might, though.

"I think only you could pull this off," Ennoshita smiled, then sighed. "Yes. We'll get a bigger bed." The joke fell a little flat, because Nishinoya actually reached for his wallet. Ennoshita pushed his hand back down and took a deep breath, taking it all in. They actually might need a bigger bed, though.

"We should get a dog too, or a cat. One of us is bound to always be at home," Tanaka suggested.

"Hey, I like that." Ennoshita hummed. "Maybe both?" 

"Can't believe how quickly you two got domestic 'bout it. Kinda cute though."

Nishinoya was the first to get up. A few more minutes and they'd just be staring directly at the sun.

"Well, I'm starved. Got any more granola bars?"

"I have other things. There's trail mix, chocolate, biscuits. Marshmallows. If we can start the fire again, we can make s’mores."

"You had chocolate this whole time? Gimme."

"Not a healthy breakfast, Noya-san." 

"You are literally a personal trainer. You probably eat whey and bananas every single morning."

"It's fine, we can pig out a little," Ennoshita laughed, combing his hair with his fingers as he thought. "Come on, let's get a head start on the campfire."

They ran back to the campsite eagerly, only to find out that the firepit had all but filled up with water from the rain last night.

"Hmm, we could make another, or just eat things as-is?" Ennoshita shrugged, kind of still craving warm treats. 

"There should be enough dry wood around to create a smaller one," Tanaka chimed in. "I'll prep things here while you two go look."

Nishinoya and Ennoshita looked at each other and then to Tanaka, nodding. Better to have two people searching than one, as their options would be pretty limited after the unexpected downpour--any small twigs they gathered would burn up quickly.

They headed back in the direction they had just come from. At first, Ennoshita tried to chip bits of bark off a tree, but after he shaved the first layer off, he realized the stuff underneath was too gummy to burn. He genuinely never would have thought gathering wood could prove to be such a challenge. Nishinoya was having much more luck, preoccupied with snapping some of the drier twigs off of trees. By the time Ennoshita had gathered a handful of dried out bark, his new boyfriend had amassed a small bundle. It still wasn't enough, though. 

"Oi," Nishinoya called out, beckoning him over. "Over there--it's covered, and we can just throw it down and drag it back up." Ennoshita followed his finger to a bunch of dead looking trees growing on a steep slope. Having been covered by another cliff face, they looked completely dry.

Ennoshita followed him over, a feeling of dread brewing in his gut as they made their way through the dead undergrowth. As the ground was covered in sticks, it was both easy to grip into and hard to balance on at the same time. Unsurprisingly, Nishinoya loved the challenge, while Ennoshita found himself hugging tree trunks in between each step.

With an ill-timed step, Ennoshita kicked up some debris and slipped. He grabbed onto a branch, which snapped, dropping him onto his side. Instinctively, his hand caught onto a root, hanging on tightly as he tried to find some purchase. His feet tried desperately to dig into the wall, but the dirt crumbled away underneath him. As much as he tried not to, he turned his head to look down. It looked like a short, three-meter drop, but he wasn't sure that it was solid dirt waiting for him down there. 

"Chikara!" Nishinoya ran back for him, grabbing a branch when the ground beneath him started to slide as well. Shit. "I’m coming for you--hold on!"

He inched his way over, holding onto a tree while reaching out with his free hand. Ennoshita grabbed on, and allowed himself to be slowly pulled to safety. Once he was able to, he dug his shoes into the rocks, using them to push himself up as well. With his other hand on the tree trunk, he heard a crunch. The rotting bark was quickly torn off the tree, the final section breaking off all at once.

Ennoshita was knocked to his side and rolled straight down the hill, landing on a slope before continuing to slide. He only came to a rest when he ended up tangled in a thick bush, the greenery thankfully holding both the muddy soil and him in place. Nishinoya was a little less lucky, falling straight down onto the clearing below and rolling until he hit a tree with a loud smack.

"Argh, damnit," he grunted, rolling to his side and gasping when he tried to move his arm. “Chikara?"

Ennoshita was a little winded from the fall, so he took his time to catch his breath before responding. "I'm alright." He slowly made his way back up to crawl over to Nishinoya. "Are you okay?"

"Don't move my arm. The fall did something to it." Nishinoya grabbed onto Ennoshita's shoulder to prop himself up, sitting back against the tree.

"I'm going to have a look, okay?" Ennoshita was pretty sure neither of them were concussed, but wanted to check just in case. He made Nishinoya follow his finger with his eyes to make sure he was still lucid.

He was pretty scratched up and had a few nasty cuts, but wasn't losing a ton of blood.

"Hey, pretty badass, huh?" Nishinoya laughed, coughing a little and groaning again. "Blood stained white shirt, gonna keep it."

"Finding the positive in everything huh?" Ennoshita sighed. "We need to get that arm checked, though. Can you walk?"

Ennoshita pulled Nishinoya’s good arm over his shoulder and gripped his waist, helping him up. He took a few steps, then let him walk a little on his own.

"Yeah, everything's working fine." Nishinoya's voice carried a bit of relief as he found his balance.

"We can go around to get back up." Ennoshita started to mentally plot out the safest path to return. He could see the cliff they watched the sunrise from, so he waited for Nishinoya to get ahead of him. He didn’t want to baby him, but he still wanted to make sure he didn't take another fall.

With a little effort, they finally arrived back at the campsite. Tanaka was already heading over to them as they emerged from the treeline. All it took was one look at their disheveled state and he knew something had gone wrong.

"Hey! What happened? Chika? Noya?" He looked between them, gritting his teeth as self-crucifying thoughts raced through his head. What would he have done? Why didn't he go with them? Better yet, why was he only now realising the risks of traipsing about in the wilderness?

"Ryu, man, I'm glad to see ya, but don't touch my left arm. Thing hurts like hell."

"Is it broken? Shit."

"Dunno. Could be." None of them really knew, and Nishinoya wasn't about to admit it if he did know.

"Sorry, I'll explain on the way to the hospital. Can you help him get into the car? I'll pack the tent." Ennoshita traded spots with Tanaka so he could start unpegging the tent. As for the sleeping bags, he could deal with it later. For the time being, he rolled everything up into one horrible fabric burrito. Bundling the whole thing up, he dragged it to the car and tossed it in the back, pushing down on the hatch until it closed.

Ennoshita swung into the driver's seat, only to gawk at the antics of the two in the backseat.

"You're hungry, after all that?"

"Yep," Nishinoya laughed meekly, wincing from pain before he started shovelling chocolates and nuts into his mouth. His stomach certainly waited for no one, even if his arm was giving him grief.

"Hey, have some." Tanaka offered some of their snacks to Ennoshita through the centre console. "Might work like a pick me up. You look like you need it."

He was hesitant for a moment, but smiled and accepted the handful of treats gently. "Thank you, Ryu."

After taking a moment to compose himself, he kicked the car into gear. He drove forward a little, then reversed to turn out of the clearing. The way they came in looked awful. Where the road wasn’t loose and rocky, it was muddy and slippery. It didn’t help that it was winding and narrow to start with, too.

Ennoshita breathed a heavy sigh of relief when their tires finally met packed gravel. Bumpy, but so much safer. This road even had a guard rail at the side. Life's little luxuries.

"So much for being your knight in shining armour," Nishinoya joked from the back seat, trying to break the silence. "Guess I got my scary get together story, though."

"Man, you really jinxed it. Totally spooky," Tanaka added with a grin, leaning back to give him a noogie. 

"I swear there's this field of chaos that follows you." Despite his words, Ennoshita had to admit, it was part of the charm. "One hell of a first date, taking you to hospital."

"One to remember, though?" Nishinoya pouted and stuck his tongue out at them.

"Uhh, for sure. Keep that out and I'll have to kiss ya on his behalf." Tanaka teased.

"Guys, trying to drive here. We can all make out in the ER."

"Now THERE's a first date idea," Nishinoya cheered.

\---

Whether by sheer luck or just by virtue of being the only idiots to get hurt this early in the morning, the emergency room lobby was surprisingly quiet. After filling out a form at the receptionists, Ennoshita rejoined the two at the bench. They barely had to wait ten minutes before Nishinoya’s name was called. He quickly gave them both a kiss, then jumped up and headed for the hallway.

"Want to talk about it?" Ennoshita leaned on Tanaka's shoulder. "About what this makes us, I mean?"

"Eh, if you want." Tanaka shrugged a little. "I think it just makes us...us."

Ennoshita was unsure of what to say to that, but the idea grew on him. He turned to give his boyfriend a soft smile. "I like that. Just us three, now." He sighed, kissing his chin. "It’s been hell of a day. Actually, I can't believe how lucky I am. You're both way too good for me."

"Hey, don't start with that."

"No, it's not like it was back then. Now I just feel like I'm too ordinary, really." He cupped Tanaka's cheeks, before giving him a gentle tug. "Don't really know what you two see in me."

"If I had to put it in words, it’s because you're like glue."

"Seriously? Glue?" Ennoshita gawked at him.

"Yeah, like the glue that binds everyone together. You always have been."

"Ah." Ennoshita wheezed. "It wasn't a sunburn, by the way."

"Oh? Ohhhhhh..." Tanaka poked him playfully, pushing him back until a nurse cleared her throat. They both sat upright immediately.

After sitting for a while, it actually dawned upon them that they were waiting to hear Nishinoya's results. Small waves of nervousness came and went as the hour burned on. Eventually, they were called in.

They were surprised by who was waiting for them beyond the door.

"Yaku-san?!"

"Oh no," the doctor grumbled, strawberry blonde hair still as short and curly as it had been in high school. Now with glasses and a little more height, he was quite the handsome MD. They weren’t shopping for a fourth lover, though. Their lives were chaotic enough already.

"Haven't seen ya in forever!" 

Tanaka was ever the socialite. Ennoshita slipped away to see Nishinoya, who was seated and holding up his x-ray proudly.

"What is it?" Ennoshita wasn't sure what he was supposed to be seeing.

"World's tiniest fracture," Nishinoya giggled, although Ennoshita wasn’t sure what he found so funny.

"He'll still need a cast, by the way. A nurse will be here soon. So don't go running off." Yaku tried his best to sound professional in spite of their old high school rivalry.

Eventually, they were able to leave the ER. It only took three hours and five cups of coffee between the four of them, with much of the time being spent waiting for Yaku to take his break, then the rest of the time being spent wasting his entire break. They left with the promise to keep in touch and meet up again, though ideally outside of his workplace the next time.

"Mind if I come back to your place, Chika-Chika?" Nishinoya climbed into the back of the car, holding up his cast once more to show it off through the rear view mirror.

"Only if you never call me that again."

"Reminds me of that song. Boom, chika-chika." Tanaka joined in after him. "Ohhhhh yeaaaah."

God he hated that song.

"The moon." Nishinoya chirped. "Beauuuuutifuuuuul."

"This is torture. This is against the Geneva Convention." Ennoshita protested. "I already said yes." 

"You say that, but I can see you smiling!"

And he was.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This was a lot of fun to write, even if it was a slog at times. I'm used to writing 2k oneshots, so 10k is a big jump for me! The art is by the wonderful anachromatism, who also generously beta read this, big thank you.


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